Base pack weight normally refers to the weight of all items in your pack, including the pack, with the exception of food, water, and fuel, known as the consumables. This weight doesn't include the clothing you are wearing or your poles (if you choose to use them). Skin-out weight refers to everything in your pack, plus consumables, plus the clothing you are wearing. In other words skin-out weight is the weight of you with your pack and attire on minus the weight of your naked body.I hope this was helpful.

In discussing what goes with us on a trip, I understand that there are three accepted categories:1. Items Worn or Carried, like shoes, GPS around your neck, wedding ring2. Items carried in your pack, not consumed during the trip. Shelter, sleep system, and the pack itself comprise the "Big 3."3. Consumables, including food, water, water treatment, fuel

..and one more useful weight, Total Base Weight, = 1+2.This is useful to compare two hikers who might or might not be wearing certain items vs. carrying them in the pack; doesn't matter when you are comparing TBW. In other words its everything except consumables. TBW is what I try to minimize.

I have a list of the weight of most itemsI took on a trip in 1996 (mostly Alaska)and 2005 (mostly Greenland)and what I want to take next trip.The weight is plummeting thanks to experienceand a little info via a certain web site !

My gram accuate scale is finally coming into play
on 03/10/2007 15:52:12 MST

After a thorough look today at what could be changed to lower the weight of my present setup for 15 degree temperatures, I found that I could easily drop 22.5 oz by simply: using two stuff sacks instead of compression bags (6.5 oz), eliminating the footprint (9.5 oz), and not using a sleeping bag liner (6.5 oz). It looks like the total base weight, including GPS and camera, will come in at about 16.5 pounds which is good considering the bomber gear I'm using...Nimbus Ozone, Akto, WM bag, JetBoil, BA insulated pad. I'll need to carry consumables for several 9 to 10 day consecutive stretches and want to max out around 27 pounds with 2L of water.

Of course there is one other concept: Total Weight. By this I mean total body weight along with what you wear and what you carry.

A while back I weighed 186# and carried a pack that weighed 55 pounds. Then I managed to reduce my weight down to 145# and my pack weight down to 25#. So the total weight I had to propel went from 241# down to 170#. That's 71# less, or 30% less.

Ohhh! What a difference that made!

Pack weight has remained, body weight has drifted upwards, though I'm trying to bend it back down again.